Dead Ends
by nnaa
Summary: Alternate NM. Bella's gone missing and frantic Cullens and Swans try to track her down. However, the Volturi also have a lead on her, and before they know it, the good guys are looking at a lot of dead ends. Angsty :
1. Should haves

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, all things Twilight-related belong to Mrs. Meyer, but we love her so for it :)

Warning: Angst.

_**Bella**_

It was ironic in a masochistic sense, as if the 'Forks' scene in my life had been played through and now was my queue to exit stage to the right; as far right as Phoenix . Maybe only that small part had been mine, that I could never have played up to Romeo's standard of Juliet. After all, I was only human- who was I to tie him down? Hadn't he been gracious enough to give me those long months of his company? I should have been grateful to him, but it was hard to be thankful when every cell was trying to pull away from me, to where he had lived one, causing me physical pain. Yet my rental car kept true as I wove through the sparse side street traffic of a pre- dawn Phoenix. I winced internally.

_Don't think about it._

I'd taken to driving with less care than I would have given if he...well, if _he'd_ cared. Accidents were always a hazard to me and, besides, I had such precious little things that really made me feel alive anymore.

I would keep the promise to my father. I would take the next left onto the highway. I would follow it into the urban city. I would live with my mother. I would...I would what? Grow up? It was impossible to heal the pain I was experiencing and any maturing would leave me bitter, twisted and scarred like Leah had been. But I couldn't think of any other options spread before me as I stopped at the lights, my knuckles whitening on the wheel with every passing second.

An image of my mother, arms spread, gently painted itself before me beyond the outstretched barren road ahead under the horizon. Her pinned hair fell around her face, changing, whitening. I tried to read the pleading in Esme's eyes as the scattering of cars stacked behind me at the lights. She desperately tried to convey her grief of my loss, calling me back, lush lips forming words I couldn't soak in. The hurt in her eyes made me avert my gaze to the gas pedal beneath my boot. The traffic light, now green, gave a watery contrast to the peaking light above the stationary road and I searched for the sunrise I'd missed to much at first... and locked onto a pair of startling brilliant greenish golden eyes. And with one rattling intake of breath, he sun broke through my illusion before I could have processed his whole face. But it had been _enough_, to remember him so clearly had been...

A sharp honk fetched me from my ravine and turned me round to face the choice I had laid before me. A quick glance in the mirror showed me the impatient driver behind me was drumming his fingers against his wheel.

I peeked up into the brilliant sunrise ahead of me.

I should have turned left.

My foot pressed onto the gas, harder than necessary.

_Don't think about it._

_**Charlie**_

I wasn't surprised that Renee had forgotten that Washington was an hour behind Arizona, and that I didn't finish work until 6 in the afternoon. As it was, it had been another slow day and I caught the phone on the fourth ring. Jeez- Louise was she frantic!

"Charlie! Charlie, Charlie, she's not here! What do we do, Charlie, she's not here!" She screamed into the phone as I tried to catch up- I'd been worrying so much about Bella lately, I'd been unable to think about little else.

Bella. Oh.

"Calm down, Renee, I'm sure the traffic's just bad or something," I breathed shakily into the phone, betraying my lie. I thought she'd looked better, more of herself, so I'd let her go on her own, to give her some breathing space after the past few months of keeping a constant check on her. 'Time off for good behaviour', I'd joked, and we'd laughed about it, if a bit begrudgingly on her part.

"Charlie, I've been ringing all afternoon. She was supposed to be here-" pause "- three hours ago, now! Phil's been over half the city and he hasn't rung—oh, Charlie, what if she never even got on the plane?! She could be _anywhere_!" I pressed my face into my free hand as I listened to me ex-wife sobbing, a thousand miles away.

"She got on the plane. I took her to the Seattle-Tacoma airport myself. Her truck's still here- she was going to hire a car from the airport on your side because you were both at work. She...she didn't want to be a bother to either of you, Renee, by having you pick her up." Even as I said the words, my face numbed as I considered Bella running away.

And she's been getting_ better_. Slowly, but I could see the difference in the months passed since _he'd _left. Deftly, I rooted for some hidden misdemeanour he'd committed that I could pull him up on...some hidden charge I could throw him in the Forks holding cell personally for. But they'd left. Not that I blamed Dr. Carslile, mind. Now, Carslile was a man in a million and I was only surprised that he'd lent his services to this small town for so long. He and his wife should have the opportunity to live in the sunlight after such a long stay in Forks. I can't imagine the pay here was exquisite, either.

"I'll phone the station, Renee," And then my world collapsed.

--

Dun dun dunn! There's lotsof POV changes in my chapters-- R&R to get me to write faster, I love opinions :)


	2. Frustrations

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, all things Twilight-related belong to Mrs. Meyer, but we love her so for it :)

Warning: Angst/ First fluff attempted in this chapter

_**Alice**_

At any other time, I would have called him a Grumpy Guts—hunting was supposed to be something we enjoyed doing together, but given the current situation, I couldn't really blame my love for the depression. So few of our kind truly understood the hardships of his gift. They couldn't see that emotional atmospheres affected him as much as his own ability to alter others' moods. It was a storm he'd had to suffer under so much lately that is was near necessity to escape onto the hunt every other day.

I couldn't feel the frosted chill that surely blanketed the forest in the fog, but the perfectly formed hand in my own was all too real in such an alien place, reassuring and seeking comfort all at once. Not cold, like it might have been to a mortal, but the same temperature as my own and equally smooth.

A quiet sigh as we slowed, and I looked to Jasper. His twisted curls lay against his head, slightly darker and damp in the mist in an almost human fashion. He looked so...delicate right now. I frowned, unhappy at my inability to help him while he was suffering through our family's depression. His dark eyes found mine and pinned my gaze with his own in a way only he could. It had been like this for some time; being unable to express our love for one another without the depression seriously ruining the effect in our snatched moments alone.

He reached for me.

"I love you so much," His words strained under the despair, but I could feel the ache of passion behind them. Feather- light, his hand took the back of my neck and I tip- toed to answer his unasked question. Hesitantly, he nestled in the curve were my neck and shoulder met. I wished desperately that I could feel like I had before we'd left Forks as his free hand took place on my spine. My own somewhat smaller hands felt for his arched neck and pulled him towards me, shaking off the low ebb as I did so. He pressed me harder to him, moving lips now roaming my neck.

"Jasper," I hummed. Closer, he didn't have to reach far for our lips to meet, not that I didn't help him. And for one moment our blanket dread was driven out by the burning passion we shared for each other. Serious and strong, his mouth moved against mine in patterns both unexpected and achingly familiar to me. One hand sufficiently lost in my hair, he pulled me up so that I hung to him as he stood at his full height.

I may have looked like a monkey, clinging to him like that. I didn't care.

"Jasper, I..." I breathed, drowning in his black eyes again, unwilling to loose the moment were experiencing. But then his concentration slipped and we were crushed under the weight of grief once again. He held me close in that position for a while as he attempted to stabilise our emotions before lightly letting me onto the invisible forest floor.

"So soon?" I smiled lightly, the emotion not touching me eyes. "You know, I'm starting to feel like Bella," I tried again, hoping the name wouldn't affect him any more than it had. It was something of a joke within out family, how Edward had controlled himself so well around her. We—Emmett and Rosalie especially, I suppose—couldn't see how she could stand to be barely allowed to touch him. It was popular belief that she would soon spontaneously combust.

"I'm sorry, Alice," Those eyes melted into my own in their grief and I reached instinctively to smooth the damp blonde ringlets from his cheek. He leaned into my palm, and voiced the question I'd been harbouring myself,

"When will it end, Alice? This...this _grief_. I'm not a strong person, I just don't see why...haven't you seen _anything_?"

"You know I'm not supposed to be cheating, Jazz. I promised Edward I wouldn't," This didn't mean I hadn't tried so hard to catch her in my –far too infrequent—visions.

I felt him smile shakily against my palm. "Just as long as he stays away. He's going to cheat himself. You know it." I answered sheepishly with a smile of my own.

"He can't stop the visions I don't control," I traced his prominent cheekbone with my thumb as he gazed sadly at my again with eyes I couldn't resist. "Just snippets at first, she's doing laundry, driving to school, stuff like that," My voice hitched nervously and sped unconsciously. "She's not doing well, that much I can tell- I mean, if Edward goes back, which he will 'cause he's a complete mess without her, she'll definitely take him back, even though I can't see that for certain, it's obvious to anyone with-" His own fingers gently brushed my bumbling lips, chilling me despite the tame temperature. I sighed again, more from frustration at being unable to help him than anything else.

"I am trying, Jazz, but it's harder now. He's being such an idiot about staying away for her safety, and he can't see that the longer _I'm_ away from her, the _further_ away I am, the less I see. I'm missing so much lately, I don't even know if I would be able to catch anything major!"

His suddenly concerned expression threw me for a few seconds, and his scarred face so striking in the glowing mist that I might have been frightened if I didn't know he was _my_ Jasper.

So serious.

"It'll be okay, Alice. I don't want to worry you. They're only emotions, they can't really hurt me after all," When I started to protest, he stopped my response with a swift but gently kiss on the palm I held to him. "I believe in you. I know thins will turn out fine. You're right—Edward's not that strong, either." He grinned quickly behind his pain and I was momentarily speechless in his love. I took his hand in both of mine this time, my own dark eyes never leaving him as we continued through the Northern forest.

He caught the scent of the heard before I did, the reason for our journey presenting itself again.

"Ladies first?" And as gracefully as I could, I was flying through the trees, pulling my husband along behind by his hand.

--

**Waw, was gonna go for another POV in this chap, but some Alice/Jazz fluff was too irrisistable **

**Next time I think we'll be seeing how Edward's doing. Prepare for UberAngst!**

**(Written whilst waiting for the Twilight final Trailer. I've seen it now, thanks to Ashleigh dies)**


	3. Decisions

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, all things Twilight-related belong to Mrs. Meyer, but we love her so for it :)

Warning: Angst

Thoughts = _italics_

**_Edward_**

_You're going to break, Edward. Look at yourself._

I could have tuned Alice out better if she hadn't the uncanny ability to be wherever I wanted to be alone and always screaming the same thoughts into my mind. Then again, I was finding it hard to do a lot of things lately. I scoffed at that, a low, harsh sound and Alice's eyebrows pulled down. I replaced my head inside the crook of my arms on the table. It still smelled of her. Despite having moved to Alaska, I could still picture her moving around the kitchen, opening the fridge, resting her arms on the dining table... I pressed my forehead to it, as if I could feel her warmth. I wished...I wanted...

I saw the desperate look on Alice's face as my mother flitted into the room behind me, a hand to her mouth.

_He'__s back... Oh, Edward..._ Her pity cut me and I started to push her arm from my shoulder, but she tightened it before I could, determined to have her say. I watched her tortured face through Alice's eyes as she deliberated.

"This can't be right, Edward," she crooned softly, in a fashion witch should have carried a tear with every word, if that were possible. "This can't be the only right way- you're in so much pain,"

I skipped through a few retorts. "It's better than the other outcome," I managed- there was no need to spread my misery by being rude to my family, no matter how much I itched to, to shove even a fraction of my pain onto someone else.

Alice crossed her tiny arms defiantly, which drew my attention. "Which _won't_ be happening now," I practically hissed at her, before mentally scolding myself – as if she was the one who had caused these problems! I'd created this terrible situation, and I was serving my sentence. Why couldn't my family see that?

"This was always going to be dangerous," She braved slowly, ignoring my input. "Sooner or later, something exactly like this was going to happen—just look at what happened with James! How could this be worse than that?!" Alice was shouting now, her delicate voice bewildered. Hearing his name had my muscles tense, and my jaw taught, the venom flowing. "And nothing even happened, not really! I _would_ have seen if she'd been seriously hurt, Edward!" Her voice quietened, and had adopted a begging quality. I snapped my head up two inches to glare at her, Esme's hand restraining me now.

"How can you say nothing happened, Alice? Did you not see her arm? Or did you just run from the room because the cake got messed up?" I roared. She scowled back, hearing my outburst with disbelieving ears. "Besides, it doesn't matter," I changed my tact quickly. "I'm not going back. I won't risk her life...again." I croaked.

She tried to change her thoughts, but I caught their direction. "That's not funny, Alice. You can drag her half way around the country, I'll always be twenty miles ahead of you." My threat was weak and my head found the table again. How could a vampire feel so lethargic? Could a vampire get depressed? "Besides, you have your side to uphold,"

_And I'm regretting agreeing to this with every second- you're crazy, Edward!_ And then the same like she'd repeated so often I'd lost tally:

" You won't be able to stay away forever."

I sighed.

"We miss her too, Edward. She's part of the family..." I pushed away from the seat as Esme made her appeal. She threw pictures of the family at me; I'd tried to avoid seeing these first- hand by staying away from the house as often as I could-I only returned for a short period so that my mother wouldn't worry. It seemed to be having a less than desired effect. She showed me Jasper, so tense in his own climate, and Emmett, too depressed without my company and this effect on Roselie. Alice's twisted face.

"Stop!"

_Edward..._

I turned to personally see Carlisle at the French doors, Alice and Esme subtly slipping away to give us privacy.

His expression was serious, creased with concern. I flushed; well that was me all over, the prodigal son. I felt like I had after I'd returned home in my first 10 years. The shame. He seemed to mirror my thoughts.

"There's no shame in loving someone, Edward," And his voice- so confident, truthful almost made me believe him. Almost.

"I'm a monster, Carlisle. She-she needs someone more than a monster." He was quiet for a while then, his hands holding his elbows in the way he did when he was thoughtful. Behind him, the Alaskan dawn highlighted a thousand purple stars scattered across the lilac universe. But all I could see were her deep brown eyes, so real...

"Do you think I'm a monster, son?" His voice betrayed no emotion, so I couldn't guess his direction of thoughts. My response was automatic.

"Of course not,"

"Right. Do you think you're a monster?"

"Yes," I began. My voice was hoarse and weak. "I have to be, to put her –"

_No. You were my first companion, my first son. I've always supported your decisions, but you're not a monster. Although it's not physical, I've always considered you to be the most like me of all my_ _children_. I wasn't breathing. _I like to think that I've had at least some influence on your character, your personality...in your decision making._

I groaned, seeing instantly here this conversation would take us. I'd had enough for one day- no doubt I would experience more pain when I left my family alone, but why didn't they see that it was a necessity? For her to be safe?

_I want you to trust me now, Edward. I hope you'll agree I've yet to lead you astray and I don't intend to do so now. _

"But you can say that only because you want me to be happy. It pains you that I'm not, but I can't hurt Bella in my place. I can't allow that!" If I'd still had a circulatory system, the colour might have drained from my face at the thought of Bella in pain, the anguish and despair it brought me also. I clenched my fists, very nearly gouging my fingernails into the dining table.

_Do you think she's not hurting? Do you honestly think she didn't- doesn't love you at all? You underestimate a human's ability to love, I think._

Could she love me still, even though she'd never felt a thousandth of the devotion I did? Did I want to believe that? If I returned to Forks today- the thought flooding me with ecstasy- would I be able to keep her safe for once?

"I think you need to be there for her, Edward," my father said quietly, almost as if he could read _my_ mind instead, and I could hear the breath of Alice and Esme catching form further in the house. They were waiting for my decision, of course. They wanted me to make the _right_ choice. Of course. And what was the right choice? "You don't want to keep her waiting," He said with a smile and his face smoothed as he read the expression I was not aware I was wearing.

"Well, that would just be rude now, wouldn't it?" I managed as I contemplated the possibilities that stretched beyond the universe.

On the gravel outside, I heard Alice start the Mercedes.

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Dum dum dum duuum!

I'm so sorry that took so long- lots of essays at college =__='

So what did everyone think of this chapter? What can I do better? I'd love your opinions and critique, just be kind, please :3


	4. Running

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, all things Twilight-related belong to Mrs. Meyer, but we love her so for it :)

Warning: Angst

**_Bella_**

People were staring. I didn't blame them: I'd gawk at the ragged girl engrossed in the flight displays as if they held all the answers in the world. I hadn't had a change of clothes in days and the cheap shampoo I'd used at the motel definitely didn't do my hair any favours. Nevertheless, I studied the times carefully, pretending I didn't notice the looks I was getting.

So I needed a break. A girl could take a flight on her own, right? I was going away for Spring Break, I was visiting my Grandma in France, I was....oh who was I kidding? _I'm a seventeen year old school drop-out, possibly with underlying mental problems_... But still, that wasn't illegal. Which reminded me... _Could a seventeen year old fly by themselves?_ I pouted, nibbling my lower lip. Well, there was no way I could lie about my age; it was printed on my passport; unchangeable and I would definitely need a passport to fly. After being so out of touch with things lately, I'm afraid I hadn't brushed up on my Law studies. Sorry.

As it turned out, the Airline staff at Phoenix didn't make a fuss over it; maybe young people my age were perfectly capable of taking long flights by themselves. I knew you could in Europe...which was handy to say the least. Or it may have been that they decided that I looked desperate enough without having to worry about contacting parents for permission.

Either way, at least I didn't have to wear one of those "I'm a solo flyer!" labels like a World War two refugee.

The flight wasn't long: I had to transfer at Albuquerque, where I was treated much the same. The second flight wasn't long, either: it was _torturously_ long. I watched the clouds over the city as we gained altitude, gritting my teeth against the sudden jerk and G force, but not fearing it. Things that used to scare me didn't seem to anymore, and I could watch the city grow smaller as the plane climbed, and then levelled out. I guess I'd experienced so much danger, that this was about as exciting as a merry-go-round. However, it bored me and as the sun grew dusky and bruised, I pulled the screen over the window.

I took down my hand luggage when the little seat-belt light went out and pawed through it for lack of something better to do. My purse held a fifty, a few singles and a small amount of change.

"Aw crap," I'd forgotten to change my currency; briefly, I wondered if the exchange rates would be more expensive over there. Oh well, at least I had my trusty Visa card. _"Life takes Visa,"_ as they say. Well, at least the flight took a Visa card. I tucked it away again. A bottle of Dr Pepper and a slim novel, and other miscellaneous small items took up the rest of the room. I sighed; was that how interesting my life had become?

The flight attendant came past then, and I asked her for a coke; I wasn't hungry, but I could feel my blood sugar level dropping, leaving a vague depression behind. And a headache. I took two Paracetamol with the Coke she brought me, unsmiling, and she gave herself a non-communal shrug when I didn't thank her. I wasn't in the mood for talking, people, or small spaces. I guess it was just good luck that I was stuck on a flight for ten hours. An economy class flight.

Three hours and fourty minutes later I had finished my book. I found that I liked Angela Carter's short stories, they were comfortably predictable, but had way too much tragic love for my taste. I disengaged when I got to those parts, and read like I didn't know how the characters were feeling.

In fact, I was quite proud I had held myself back form thinking about him so far; it had took quite a lot of conscious effort. And it wasn't going to be spoilt now. Edward had made it quite clear he had forgotten about me, so I would do my best to forget him also.

I closed the book with an escaped sigh and tapped it against me knee, an irregular beat. I may be in economy, but at least I had a window seat. That is, if it wasn't as dark as pitch outside. Beside me, an unnamed woman slept deeply and I didn't expect her to wake before we arrived. So I was left with nothing to do but think. About the Cullens.

It wasn't just Edward that I ...missed, it was his family, too. Oh, just someone to _talk _to! Maybe he hadn't realised it, but when he left he took the entirety of my phonebook with him, too. That is, he'd taken everyone I would want to contact away, and my phonebook had mysteriously disappeared, too. _Nice one, Edward_.

I wondered how they were getting on. Carlisle would probably take the family West, somewhere near the big cities. Maybe someplace near Atlanta where he could buy Esme an out-of-the-way, yet mansion-like house that she could renovate. Maybe they were there now, reclining on the expensive sofas and painting masterpieces and maybe, even, Edward was playing his piano beautifully, enchanting another impressionable human girl.

But those thoughts did me no good, so I tried to sleep, my head against the window. My sleep was punctuated by ghosts with bizarre, perfect porcelain faces and long, caressing fingers. I woke sometime halfway through the day, when the faces became too vivid, and left me in a bad mood. Eventually, the plane began to dip again and my neighbour awoke with a snort. I opened the window screen to be greeted by an onslaught of grey, and rain, as if the window were reflecting my mood. The landing wasn't uncomfortable, but the disembarking was; we were herded down the steps by the uncompromising commandants of the fight staff.

My first impression of England: grey. I'd heard it was pretty green, but I wasn't impressed. Well, then again, this was London, not Yorkshire.

My small case trundled along behind me as I left the terminal. My hair was uncomfortable greasy now and my skin felt oily; I was tired although I had slept. First on my agenda was finding a hotel or something- they had those in England, right? So I was going to stay here and chill for a bit. Maybe I would phone Charlie later, say I just needed some headspace for a while, and tell him not to worry.

And I would absolutely definitely not think about Edward or the Cullens.

**_Felix_**

The traffic in London is atrocious. Honestly, it is. I mean, it's so bad, you could probably follow someone in a black cab for _miles_ without them ever knowing. Well, three miles to be precise. So she was staying at a Premier Inn. Classy! But I shouldn't tease her really- from what I'd seen and heard she'd had a rough time with that Cullen, and she was probably using her college funds to fly here- she really didn't care anymore did she? Not that she'd be flying back to the USA, anyway.

I flipped open my cell lazily and pressed speed-dial.

"Yes, it's Felix. No, the plane didn't crash, you moron. But you're going to be very interested in what I have to tell you..."

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**_A/N_**

Wow it's been a while since I updated, huh? I'm thinking about actually finishing this one (lol)

Should be lots more POV changes for the next chapter! I think....yes, I think we're going back to Edward and possibly Charlie :)

Review me! :D but please keep it friendly :)


	5. Redemption

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, all things Twilight-related belong to Mrs Meyer, but we love her so for it :)

Warning: Angst

**_Jasper_**

The car zinged beneath us, and the landscape fell behind like a newspaper in the wind. The windows had been open, so we could feel the breeze against our hard skin and although we couldn't feel the cold of it, the draft was refreshing nonetheless. Edward had closed them to eradicate wind resistance- you had to admire his determination. He smiled at this and the speedometer crept higher still.

Alice's Mercedes purred along the road and I could almost feel myself doing the same. The atmosphere was a pleasant pink, and thick: my companion was incredibly happy.

We pulled up to a crawl in the traffic of the highway, it was rush-hour. "Are you going to stay this happy for long? I'm making the people in the cars as high as a kite," I sad and he laughed robustly, a sound I hadn't heard for months. It did my heart good, which in turn only improved his mood further. I smiled too, tasting the atmosphere."You, sir, are an idiot. A complete glutton for punishment." I said and he saluted me.

"Yessiree, ah sure am," I laughed with pretend scorn at his Southern accent. It was terrible.

"So. What's the plan?" His mood flashed a different colour. Hesitation and nervousness?

"Well," The traffic loosened again and we lurched forward, easily weaving between the cars. "I'm going to scope the area first, make sure she hasn't done anything...silly."

"Oh, of course she hasn't, Alice would have seen to that," He felt my sudden pang of love and smiled, mirroring it with his own for Bella, no doubt.

He continued. "Then I'm going to wait in her room, until she gets back from school or whatever. Then it's time to throw myself on the floor and beg her eternal forgiveness," His tone was light, but his mood tinged with shame. "I'm surprised Alice hasn't seen as much." His face was creased with worry, just for a second.

_Alice's skill is fickle. She misses things, you know this, Edward._ I thought of that night with James when Alice had slipped...and instantly regretted it.

"What if she's missed something, though? I mean, we don't know if something has happened that she hasn't seen already!" I thought of the conversation between Alice and I, and clamped down on my thoughts immediately. Alice was finding it hard to keep track of Bella while a distance remained between them. Not something I wanted him to read in my mind, was it? And being away from Alice when I was feeling so euphoric was unbearable...

"Jazz, please!"

"Sorry Edward...you know how it is. Um, love that is," Embarrassment and discomfort coloured my extra sense.

"You didn't have to come, you know," He said quietly through a closed mouth. Was he trying to get rid of me, or regretting that he was wasting time that I could have spent with Alice?

"A bit of both, really," Edward ran a hand through his hair quickly- the brief reflection of light highlighted my scars in the wing mirror. Horrid, and twisted; each one a painful memory.

"Well sorry to spoil the party, but I'm not letting you do anything stupid just because Bella broke a nail or whatever," This was harsher than I'd meant, so I backtracked. "I mean-"

"It's ok. I know why you're here," He paused, blinking a few times and taking a left at the junction, the quiet seeping into the car before the revs grew again. "But...don't think that I won't fight back if something has happened while I've been...away." He meant if something had happened to Bella, it was my job to subdue him and bring him back to our family. He would be no comparison with hurting me to end the pain that would cause him and commit suicide in whatever extravagant way he'd planned. Sometimes I wished I was the one who could read minds.

"Not that anything would have happened to her. I know her better than that, she's smart. Besides, she's probably forgotten my by now," His smile was painful and his eyes flicked to the roadmap, for somewhere to look rather than directions. We're rather like homing pigeons, don't you think?

"No, she hasn't done anything stupid."

We were coming onto the 101 now.

We were almost there.

**_Edward_**

The house was silent. It wasn't night but it may well have been. The street was just as I remembered it- of course we had better than photographic memories, so that was to be expected.

"What do you think?" I heard Jasper, but my eyes were on the house, the second from last on the street, white paint still decent. I turned to him.

"They're out. We can check it out." I eyed his scars for the _n_th time and in any other circumstance I would have marvelled how the human eye could miss them; they were so threatening, But right now I was flicking through all the possibilities including Bella in my head. My family had ambushed me at the weakest point in my suffering, but I was grateful for it. And, perhaps, if Bella would forgive my idiocy and take me back, I could be happy forever. Well, the next seventy years or so. I'd lived more than that already; I would be grateful for that time with her.

Well, no-body was home now, which was nothing to worry about, right? She was probably still at the school and...and Charlie was at work, of course. So there was no need to hide the Mercedes. I pulled up to the curb, listening. Silent.

"Wait a few minutes," Jasper was right; the sun hadn't quite set yet, though it would in a minute or two. Already the other residents had pulled down blinds and turned on their electric lights. It made no difference to us. "Ok, now," We left the Mercedes unlocked and slunk to the side of the house, creeping forward in what I would have called hunter-mode, except that we weren't about to eat. I would make sure of that.

The scale was effortless, and Jasper stayed outside thankfully, perched on the porch roof. As much as I loved my newest brother, I wanted to be along in her room. It was much the same, and I was glad. There were so many memories here...the night she'd almost caught me watching her from the chair before she knew all I was, the pillows she's thrown on the floor in favour of my arm to sleep against. So much pain and gladness. My sharp eyes noticed a few minor changes as I paced the room: the peeled wallpaper on the east wall (was she planning to redecorate?) and the trash can was flowing with junk food wrappers (had she really eaten all that? I hoped not, for her health...). Of course, it was just as messy as ever. I picked up the discarded duvet from the floor and covered my face in it, inhaling her essence.

Because it had been so long since I'd been around her, I expected the scent to hit me like a truck. It was definitely there, but faintly and I could handle it easily. A tight fist clenched my stomach like a sliver of ice. How long hadn't she slept in her bed?

I left the room, feeling Jasper's attempt to ease my fear, and his questioning thoughts. He was right; I didn't know the whole story. And then the relief was lifted from me: Of course! She was staying at her mother's! Although it was in the middle of her school year- had she moved? The scent in her room had been feint, but not as if she hadn't slept in it for less than a week. How likely was it that I'd missed her by just a week or less?

I thought about it. Not likely, but I was never one for good luck, otherwise I would have never left her....or came back.

Or she could have died. _Under a truck over a cliff crushed by a car drowned in the sea struck by disease a broken heart killed herself with drugs cut her perfect wrists Charlie's gun-_ Jasper's blanket of calming reassurance suffocated my own mood and I knew he was at my side.

"There's a letter from Renee in Charlie's room, she says she can't wait to have Bella again and the rest of the year." _She also asks if Bella's recovering well..._

Jasper meant to hide that information, but I caught it nonetheless. But it was nothing to panic about. We just had to go see Renee. I was right: Bella was there.

Then Jasper's cell rang. Not mine, I noticed. Perhaps it was Alice. Had she seen something?

His expression told me it was Alice, though he looked slightly worried. Or was he just thinking very hard? His thoughts were too fast and incoherent to me.

"Phone," He said to me simply, snapping his own cell closed. Was he talking about his own phone? I didn't understand.

"Wha-?" He pointed to Charlie's house phone at the end of the hallway.

A heartbeat of time passed before it began to ring. I froze: should we answer it?

"Who is it, Jasper? What did Alice say?" It rang again.

"It's Renee. Alice couldn't see what she was ringing about, though."

Another ring.

He moved the phone, and I shadowed him.

"Should I answer it?" I breathed as it rang again. How long would Renee ring for?

"Let me, we'll play it by ear." He promised in the same second he picked up the receiver.

"Charlie?" The question was asked as soon as he'd picked up, and was most definitely Renee.

"Renee. It's good to hear from you." Of course his tone was perfectly Charlie-like.

"Never mind that!" I was shocked by the panic- induced rudeness. "There's been news. I don't know what to make of it, honestly I don't!" She sounded like she was sobbing. Jasper and I exchanged a meaningful glance.

The stress in Jasper's voice wasn't exaggerated. "What news, Renee? Tell me."

"London. Her passport's been used to fly to London. The air staff at the terminal say they saw her, too, and there's CCTV footage or something. Oh, I'm just...I don't know, I'm so glad and worried at the same time. I mean- oh, but we can talk about it when you come up." A pause. "Wait, why are you still at the house? I thought you were taking compassionate leave? You said you'd leave this mornin-"

"Yes, I'm so sorry, Renee, I just had to work today- the guys would be lost without me if I just left them like that. I'm sorry, I'm leaving tonight." So that's where Charlie was, at least. And apparently Bella was in London...what was she _thinking_?

"It's.....it's fine Charlie- there's not much you can do up here anyway. Just...come soon, ok? I need some support here. Phil is still trying to get a flight back. But you should sleep first, we can't have you crashing on the road."

"Okay, Renee, I'll do that. And please, don't worry. She's a smart kid; she's not going to do anything stupid, I promise." A sigh.

"Thank you, Charlie."

We were quiet for a minute before either of us spoke.

"Looks like we're going to London."

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Waw, longer than my usual chapters, don't you think? And they're hot on Bella's tail! :D

I like Jasper, I think he should have more fluff with Alice, but unfortunately that's not gonna fit into the plot now /sadface/

Please _Please_ review if you liked it and have the time :) I like to hear what you want to happen next and your opinions :)

Let's hope for a longer chapter again next time! :D


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